The right to protest is a vital part of Aotearoa New Zealand’s democratic history. Political protest has been important in shaping public opinion and swaying government action in issues as significant and varied as the 1951 waterfront dispute, the 1981 Springbok Tour, homosexual law reform, and mining on conservation land. The right to protest is protected by the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act. Read more about protest in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Three threats

The government is working on three proposals to limit our ability to protest:

• Protest permit required – the plan to fine or imprison people for protests not allowed by the government.
• Protesters aren’t terrorists – the govt is rewriting the Terrorist Suppression Act to allow the banning of causes and the locking up of protesters.
• No protests outside homes – Creating limited protest zones in residential area where protesters can be arrested without warning.

Click each one to read more about the threat and what you can do to help.

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